Ketnell



S. 3. ALLWILL.

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS 0N RAILWAYS. 4

APPLICATION HLED FEB.2I. I919.

1,325,683. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN SEYMOUR ALLWILL, OF HAUTAPU, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING GOLLISIONS ON RAIL-WAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed August 3, 1917, Serial No. 184,262. Dividedand this application filed February 21,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, STEPHEN SEYMOUR ALLwILL, a citizen of th Dominion ofNew Zealand, residing at Hautapu, in the Provincial District ofAuckland, Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions on Railways, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for preventing collisions on railwaysand consists in certain devices, hereinafter more particularlydescribed, whereby the uncoupling of the air-brake hose section of anycar of a train will direct into a return circuit an electric currentnormally passing through said train. Of course the same result willfollow from accidentally failing to couple the said hose section beforestarting or from any accident which may cause the uncoupling while inmotion. Primarily, the said invention is intended for use with theelectrical and mechanical apparatus set forth in my application 184,262,filed August 3rd, 1917, of which this application is a division.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents diagrammatically a side view of one car of a trainprovided with my automatic switches, hose couplings and electricalconnections;

Fig. 2, an enlarged longitudinal sectional view in detail of one of saidswitches in closed position; and

Fig. 3 represents a similar view of the said switch when open.

A designates the body of a car having a metallic underframe 94, B thewheels and G the main rails of the track on which they run. Each carwill be similar in the general construction of the appliances hereindescribed. The usual air-brake hos runs through the train, thehose-section of each car being indicated by 98. Normally these sectionsare connected for service; but if they are accidentally left uncoupledor in some way separated while running, the flexible ends of saidsection 98 will hang down as shown in Fig. 1. Th couplings 89 on thesaid ends are metallic and electrically conducting as usual. Aninsulated wire 70 Serial No. 278,372.

consists of sections, one to each car, which collectively run throughall the vehicles of the train when all the couplings 89 are joined saidwire sections being connected to the couplings of each section 98, asshown in Fig. 1 and in electrical connection with each other. Normallyin this connected position the wire 70 may be used for signaling andother functions of railway apparatus. When any section of wire is disconnected at either end, its function is to prevent the car or train fromstarting or to stop it, as hereinafter described.

Under the car body A near each end thereof is attached an automaticswitch 90,

.which comprises a frame or casing 92 having within it a spring 91adapted to make electrical contact (see Fig. 2) with a terminal 93,which is connected by a short wire 94 to the underframe 94. The otherend of said spring is mechanically connected by a wire 95 proximate tothe hose section coupling 89. When the ends of said hose-section arebent up in line with the body thereof for coupling, as shown in Fig. 3,the spring is drawn upon by the latter wire out of contact with terminal98; but when the end of the hose section is uncoupled and hangs down asin Figs. 1 and 2, the said spring is permitted to move into contact withsaid terminal 93, making a branch circuit through wire 95, spring 91,

terminal 93, wire 94:, underframe 9%, the

wheels and the main track to the source of electricity, which may be abattery on the engine. Or additional means of completing the branchcircuit without passing through the main rails of the track may beprovided.

The switches 90 are identical in construction and operation at each endof the car. If either be permitted to close in any car the branchcircuit will be set up and may be utilized to close the valve of theengine or otherwise prevent the movement of the train so that the traincannot start in case the brakeman should forget to couple any two hosesections.

When the spring is left free by the dropping of the end of thehose-section, the resilieiicy of the said spring will naturally cause itto draw back in the direction away from the previously exerted pull of.said section and to press its other end against the terminal 93. F orthe purpose in hand a helical spring, as shown, will be the best.

A by-pass pipe 96 fitted with an auxiliary air cook 97 is provided inthe air line hose 98 in each section thereof near each end of saidsection and of the car body carrying the same. The handle 99 of saidauxiliary cock is loosely attached to the wire 95 so that the raising ofthe coupling 89 of the hose section by means of astop95 secured on wire95, which stop contacts with said handle, pulls said handle and openssaid cock, making an open by-pass around the cock 101 of the hosesection 98. Said handle is locked by a spring catch 100, so that theauxiliary cock will remain open in case of the hose becoming uncoupledor bursting. Vhen the vehicles are disconnected the brakeman must closethe cock 9? as well as the ordinary train cock 101. If he should forgetto open the cock 101 in again coupling the vehicles and hose sections,the act of coupling the hose will automatically open the auxiliary cock9? and the brake will operate, even though the cock 101 be closed. Thehandle 99 has a slotted end 102 which permits the cock 97 to be openedby the stop 95 on the wire 95, but said cock cannot be shut by saidwire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a railway car and an air-brake hose-sectioncarried thereby and provided with flexible ends extending beyond the carbody and having terminal metallic couplings, a wire consisting ofsections, collectively extending through the train, each of said wiresect-ions being connected to said couplings of each car, a terminalcarried by said car and electrically connected in a branch circuit, aspring adapted to make contact with said terminal when the proximate endof the hose-coupling section is uncoupled and drops down, and a wirewhich mechanically as well as electrically connects said spring to thecoupling on said section end, said wire being adapted when said end israised and coupled to draw said spring out of contact with saidterminal, breaking the branch circuit and completing the electricconnection along wire through the train.

2. In combination with a railway vehicle, a pair of spring-pressedsliding switches carried thereby, connections whereby either of saidswitches closes a branch circuit when left free to operate, ahose-section of an airbrake system, mechanical connections between saidswitches and its flexible ends,

adapted when said ends are moved for coupling to draw ope said switches,and a wire consisting oi sections corresponding to the .voliicles, saidwire normally making electric connection through the train runningthrough the train and connected to said couplings, the branch circuitbeing then inconiplete and inoperative.

A railway car body provided with a metallic underframe, in combinationwith an air-brake hose-section havin ends adapted to flex downward andprovitIed with metallic couplings, an insulated wire consisting ofsections running through the train and connectcd to each of saidcouplings, a casing carried by said vehicle, a terminal on said casing,a spring movable in said easing into contact with said terminal, aconductor from said terminal to said underframe,;a mechanical andelectrical. connection between said spring and the proximate coupling ofsaid section whereby said spring may be drawn out of contact with saidterminal when the hose-sections are coupled substantially as set forth.

l. A railway vehicle provided with a section of an air-brake hose, anautomatically closing switch held open by the coupling of I saidhose-section, a conductor connected electrically to each end of saidhose-section, electric connections through said conductor and saidswitch when the latter 1S closed, and a mechanical connection betweensaid switch and the proximate end of said section, for holding open saidswitch while said sectionend is coupled.

5. In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, a brake pipe andbrake cock, in combination with a by-pass pipe connected to said maintrain pipe on each side of said brake cock, a cock in the by-pass pipeand a connection between the latter cock and the coupling of a brakehose section end, in order that the latter may operate said bypass cock.7

6. In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, the combinationof a brake hose coupling section with electrical connections between itsterminal couplings, a sprin actuated switch electrically connected thereto, a wire connecting said switch to the coupling at the end of saidsection and adapted to hold said switch open while the section iscoupled, but to allow said switch to close when said section isuncoupled, said wine being also adapted to open a valve in the air pipewhen said section is uncoupled.

7 In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, the combination ofa brake hose coupling section with electrical connections between itsterminal couplings, a springactuated switch electrically connectedthereto, a wire connecting said switch to the coupling at the end ofsaid section and adapted to hold said switch open while the section isIn testimony whereof, I have signed my coupled, but to allow said switchto close name to this specification in the presence of when said sectionis uncoupled said wire two subscribing witnesses.

being provided with a stop arranged to open STEPHEN SEYMOUR ALLWILL. avalve in the air pipe when said section is WVitnesses: uncoupled, but toavoid contact with said ETHEL FRANCES COURTNEY,

valve when said section is coupled. HERBERT THoMAs- REYNELL.

